Tropical Storm Debby likely to strengthen quickly before making landfall in Florida

Tropical Storm Debby will strengthen into a Category 1 hurricane Saturday night before making landfall in the Big Bend region of Florida early Monday morning, bringing with it strong winds, significant flooding and power outages.

“Make sure you’re executing your plan now,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warned Floridians at a press conference Sunday afternoon. “As the storm comes you may get hit with an awful lot of water."

DeSantis compared Debby's path to that of Hurricane Idalia, the Category 4 hurricane in 2023 that caused significant damage in north Florida. Debby won't have winds as strong as Idalia's, but it will bring much more moisture, DeSantis said.

What started as a front moved north past Cuba and became Tropical Storm Debby on Saturday. The front developed from a potential tropical cyclone to a tropical depression, and it continues to draw strength from warm, tropical water.

By Sunday morning, the storm's center was about 130 miles southwest of Tampa, Florida, with maximum sustained winds at 65 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. It is expected to strengthen rapidly before landfall in the Big Bend region, posing a "danger of life-threatening storm surge inundation along portions of the Gulf coast of Florida from Aripeka to Indian Pass."

A storm surge warning was issued Sunday from the middle of Longboat Key to Aripeka, Florida, including Tampa Bay.

“Hurricane conditions are expected on Monday along portions of the Florida Big Bend region where a Hurricane Warning is in effect, with tropical storm conditions beginning this evening,” the center said in an update Sunday.

Debby is the fourth named storm of the North Atlantic hurricane season.

Earlier Sunday, DeSantis said he activated 3,000 members of the state's National Guard to assist emergency responders. The governor warned of power outages, hazardous debris and flooded roadways as Floridians prepared for the storm.

"You're going to end up with possibilities of flooding not just in the next two days, but for many days afterward," DeSantis said. "So just be prepared for that."

Franklin County, located along the Gulf of Mexico in Florida's panhandle, issued an evacuation order Sunday morning for its flood-prone areas.

According to the hurricane center, Debby is expected to produce up to 18 inches of rainfall across portions of northern Florida and up to 30 inches across parts of southeast Georgia and South Carolina, through Friday morning.

DeSantis noted the storm was on a "similar track" to Hurricane Idalia, which wreaked havoc on Florida's coastal communities last year, and urged residents to heed local guidance on evacuations and shelters.

Tampa International Airport remains open and operational, but according to WFLA, it has canceled 65 flights as of 10:30 a.m. Sunday.